I hope you like this chapter because I wrote it with great affection.
Good reading 3
XXX
Chapter III
"So you and Amy already kissed?" Leonard asked studying his next move in the game.
The boys were sitting around the coffee table in the living room of Sheldon's house playing chess for some time now. Well, Sheldon and Leonard were playing; Howard only watched after he'd lose to Sheldon three times in a row.
"Yes". Sheldon replied as he moved his tower five houses to the right.
"When you say that you mean a real kiss, right? I mean, kiss in the mouth, just like moms and dads do?" Howard questioned as he watched the game, still incredulous in what he was hearing his friend say.
"Yes, twice." He kept his face in his hand as he studied Leonard moving one of the bishops.
"Two? The most I got from Bernadette was a kiss on the cheek." He was certainly very indignant. Now he would be the guy who gave the first kiss after Sheldon Cooper.
"Look at that, my big brother is going to give the first kiss after me." Leonard smirked as he saw his brother's despair.
"Less Leonard. Now, Sheldon," he said upon returning to his friend, "tell us how it was?" There was a certain trace of malice on Howard's face that had left Sheldon with some discomfort. He however decided to ignore and respond...
XXX
"It was amazing!" Amy responded throwing herself on the bed. "I never expected kissing to be so good!" The passion in the girl's eyes was unmistakable.
"Howard keeps asking me for kisses, but I'm still scared." Bernadette confessed shyly as she brushed the long hair with her hairbrush.
"A kiss doesn't kill, Bernadette," Penny said. "You just have to be careful about what the boys have in their pants." She concluded before returning to the task of drying the red nail polish that had just been passed over the fingernails.
"Mom always tells me this, but after all, what do the boys have in their pants?" Amy sat back down on the bed facing the three friends and waiting for an answer.
"Only married women know." Missy answered. "But I heard they use it to make babies."
"Is that what I felt against my leg the other night?" Her eyes widened in alarm.
"Probably". Penny replied with a mischievous grin.
XXX
"Junior told me girls hide something under their skirts. I do not know what it is, but it looks like they have to hide it to preserve their honor." Sheldon continued his watchful movements in the game, calculating how much more would be needed to put Leonard in a checkmate position.
"Don't be stupid!" Howard exclaimed annoyed. "Why would the girls hide their honor under their skirts?" He questioned as if that were the stupidest thing he'd ever heard.
"I've heard about that," Leonard intervened. "It seems that only after marriage do the girls reveal what they hide so modestly." He finished before moving the horse he still had in the game.
"Well, that won't be a problem. I asked Amy to marry me." He threw the bomb quietly as he studied his next move as if he had said nothing.
"You what?" The two brothers exclaimed at the same time with wide eyes.
XXX
"He asked you to marry him?!" The two sisters asked wide-eyed as Missy laughed inwardly at the situation.
The morning after the propose she was walking down the boys' room corridor when she heard Sheldon and Georgie talking. The girl couldn't hold back the surprise the moment she heard her twin saying that he had asked Amy to marry him. But after a few minutes she thought that it was expected. Sheldon and Amy were too close and even a blind could see how much they liked each other. Of course that a marriage proposal at their age was something no one expected, but they would not even marry so soon; what they did was more like a promise to be together.
"Yes, with an engagement ring and everything." Amy pulled the chain from inside the collar of her dress to show the ring.
"And you said yes?" Bernadette asked in amazement.
"Yes, I did!" She replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And then?" From the malicious tone of Missy the three girls suspected that she knew something. But she continued to stare at Amy with a contorted smile and one eyebrow arched, waiting for more details.
"Well then we kissed, and I felt that thing against my leg." As she reached the end of the sentence her cheeks turned redder than the color of Penny's enamel, and she shifted uncomfortably on the bed.
"But what now, Amy?" Penny tried to deflect the subject by feeling the discomfort of her friend. "What are you guys going to do now that he's going to be five years away?" Amy turned to face her friend with a blank look that indicated that even she had no answer to that question.
XXX
"Well, Amy and I will wait for each other." The blue-eyed boy responded with conviction as he moved one of his pawns across the board.
"What if a stupidity boy shows up and get interest on her?" Of course he had already thought of this possibility. Oh how he had. He had already built thousands of alternative universes in his head where some guy would appear and try to woo Amy. He would not blame them, though. How could he? Amy was a treat. Intelligent, beautiful, funny, educated, fearless ... He could spend the rest of his life listing all the adjectives of his beloved one. Though he was afraid that some unwary might try to court her, he knew he could trust her.
"I'm sure she will not even look at him." He finally answered after pondering and calculating all the possibilities. "And besides, I'm counting on the two of you to keep any fool away from her." He gestured to his two friends.
"Well, depending on us you can rest easy." Leonard assured him, smiling amiably; proud that Sheldon was placing such trust in him.
"Great," he said, turning his attention back to the game.
XXX
"He would never be interested in another girl." Amy stared at an empty spot on the bedroom wall.
"My mother always says we can't trust men." Bernadette argued.
"But I trust Sheldon, he would never do anything to hurt me." She turned her attention to her friends, who were looking at her with a serious and still uncertain expression.
"Exactly". Missy defended her brother. How could they think Sheldon would do it? "And I'll be there to keep any girl away." She promised Amy.
"Thank you, Missy". Amy said caressing Missy's hand on the bed, and the girls smiled to each other.
"I have an idea." Penny said. "What do you think of calling the boys for a picnic near the lake, to say goodbye to Sheldon and Missy?" The girls looked at each other thoughtfully.
"I think it's a great idea, we can make a cake and some sandwiches." Missy said visibly excited.
"And we can swim too, I can not wait to wear my new swimsuit." Bernadette could not contain the excitement in her voice, much to the despair of the other three girls who twisted her face at the extremely fine, high voice.
The four of them looked at each other and ran up from the bed, going straight to the kitchen to bake the cake and prepare the sandwiches.
XXX
"Great idea, Howard and I are going to stop by to get our sodas and get our swimsuits on." Leonard said as he rose from the floor.
"Well, I'm not going into the water, but I think a picnic would be nice." Howard stated.
The girls had quickly prepared the sandwiches and placed the cake in the oven. Then the two sisters went to their house to change and get some more candy while Amy went with Missy to the Cooper house to try to convince Sheldon to go, after all if there were two things that Sheldon was not a fan, they were definitely picnics and lakes. Missy had come upstairs to change as soon as they had arrived. Leaving Amy to talk to the boys. To hers and George's surprise, Sheldon agreed on the first attempt. Is it good to say no? He thought. She was sure to insist until he got tired, as she always did.
"Then hurry up, I'll just go home again to get the cake out of the oven and meet you on the main street." Amy said.
"Okay then, we're going, see you soon." Howard said and he and Leonard made their way to the exit.
"Well, I'm going upstairs and put on my bathing suit. Wait for me here, I'll be right back." Sheldon then climbed the stairs quickly, leaving Amy and George alone in the room.
"Is everything okay, Amy?" He asked.
Since the night they announced they were moving to Texas, George was genuinely concerned about her. He stood beside his brother to comfort him, but he also wanted to be with Amy. George knew it was not easy for the girl either.
She was the only person who could persuade Sheldon to do anything, and he could do blindfolded without even warying. They didn't get apart from each other for anything, and on each occasion one supported the other. It was like that since they were kids when they were chased by other kids at school and it was like that last week when Sheldon could not bear the pain of losing his father.
Sheldon certainly had a big problem dealing with feelings, and that was no secret. But he had watched them all his life and at some point came to understand that although Amy could handle her own emotions better, she most often hid what she was really feeling and tried to be strong to support those she loved.
Of course sometimes she would panic and could not suppress her feelings, as she had done that night. And it was exactly these times that made George worried, because usually when that happened she was completely out of control. Some emotions were still too strong for her to deal with.
"Yes, and you, okay?" She was sitting on the couch leaning forward and leaning her face in one of the hands facing him. She smiled openly, but George could see through her soul that no, it was not all right.
"I am worried". He admitted after taking a deep breath, staring at her with a serious expression. The girl's smile gradually dissipated as she lifted her trunk.
"Why? Sheldon said something?" She swallowed hard.
"No, this has nothing to do with Sheldon. I mean, it has and doesn't have." She only frowned, hoping he would elaborate, but he remained quiet.
"Sorry, I don't get it?," the girl said after a while.
"Amy, I consider you as my sister as much as Missy and Sheldon. I've known you since you were born, I know there's something bothering you, and don't tell me it's just the fact that Sheldon's leaving because I know that's not all. " She certainly was not expecting it. Georgie had caught her completely off guard, and there was something in his gaze that told her she would not escape this easy.
"Actually, there's one thing that's making me worried." She cleared her throat.
"Are you afraid Sheldon will forget you? He would never be able to do that, Amy." Sheldon had told his brother everything about the conversation he had had with Amy the night he gave her the chain with the ring.
"No, that's not it." She tried to say. "I mean, at first it worried me, but Sheldon and I talked about it." She stared at the chess on the coffee table.
"So what is it?" He watched her behavior closely.
"I know that not everyone knows how to deal with Sheldon, and he also does not know how to deal with people or feelings, and I know that I am the only person he listens to, George." There was a hint of tear in her eyes and that was like a pang in the boy's heart.
"Hey, you're the one who has the most influence over Sheldon, he can't do anything without asking for your opinion. He can not make an account or start a new book without consulting you first! " He smiled. "I understand that Sheldon may be a difficult person to deal with, but he is learning, Amy. The day Mother announced that we were moving to Texas, she and I were worried about his reaction, and yet he hugged her and said that everything would be fine. I think this was the last thing we expected of him". Tears began to fall on Amy's face as she heard George speaking. The boy sat next to her and hugged her as she sobbed.
"But ... But what if ... What if he needs me and I'm not there?" She asked.
George just wiped the tears from her face and smiled sweetly, conveying peace to his heart-warming sister. "I'll be there," he assured her.
"Georgie, promise you'll take care of him?"
"He's my little brother, Amy. It's my duty."
"Thanks".
And once again the two of them embraced, and stayed for a few more minutes, content to trust each other and share such a great love for someone. They only parted when Missy and Sheldon walked down the stairs together.
Sheldon was surprised at the scene, but he knew that whatever had happened, George would tell him later. At that moment all he wanted was to enjoy the days he still had with Amy. At least for the next five years.
"I'm ready, Amy, we can go." He said and Amy stood up.
"You're not coming with us?" She asked George.
"Oh no, there's a person I need to see."
"If so ..." Missy said and the three made their way to the door and heard George shout before leaving.
"Have fun". Because he sure would.
XXX
"Everyone's ready?". Penny asked excitedly and they all said yes.
"Okay, so the last one to get there is a loser." Howard announced already pedaling the bike towards the end of the street.
The seven friends were all assembled and mounted on their bikes. And at that moment all the problems seemed to be forgotten. For a tiny fraction of the infinity of time, that spring afternoon, they smiled happily as they pedaled their bikes with their hearts so light they could be able to fly. The innocence they still preserved in the midst of life's discoveries made everything much easier. They ran free as their spirit through the streets of the city, laughing joyfully at each other.
Life had never been so beautiful.
"That's not fair. I had to stop halfway because of my asthma." Leonard complained still without air after being the last one to arrive.
"You wanted to compete, Leonard." Sheldon remembered smiling proudly to have reached the first place. Penny had come in second, followed by Missy, Howard, and Amy and Bernadette who had arrived tied, but still with a discreet distance from Leonard.
"It's still not fair." He complained again, dropping the bike on the ground.
"No more complaining, let's help us sort things out." Bernadette demanded in her most bossy tone.
In a matter of minutes there was a towel lined on the floor and on it, a cake, sandwiches, soft drinks and various types of candy; all under the shadow of a giant tree, which helped ease the heat.
"It's hot today, is not it?" Missy said while faning herself.
"Yes, a nice day to swim." Penny's enthusiasm was evident and everyone looked at each other. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Penny, Leonard, Missy, Bernadette, and Amy got up.
Amy looked at Sheldon and held out a hand as she raised her eyebrows. He rolled his eyes but took her hand and stood up. The two of them walked hand in hand down to the edge of the lake where they took off their clothes from the top, leaving only the baths and threw themselves into the water. Then Missy, then Penny and Leonard.
Bernadette stared at Howard while he was watching his friends have fun in the water.
"Howard, are not you coming?" He looked at her.
"No, I think I'll be fine just watching."
"Oh no, come on, even Sheldon's in the water and you're not. It's about time for you to learn to swim." She held out her hand.
"Sheldon just learned to swim as a precaution. Have you heard his theories about the world ending in a huge flood?"
"Come on, I'll teach you." She laughed and opened and closed her hand as a signal for him to pick her up. He looked at Bernadette's outstretched hand, pondering, but in the end decided to accept the offer.
XXX
"Howard will not get out of the water?" Sheldon asked three hours later.
Bernadette did not give up until she was able to teach Howard how to swim. Obviously he was not yet a professional, but he could do the basics: float and lap his arms and legs, albeit in a clumsy way. But still he was happy. So happy, he didn't want to get out of the water at all.
Everyone had gone out to eat and they were talking while they watched him in the water. That was an hour ago. And yet there was Howard, with all his excitement.
"Let him be". Bernadette said as she waved at him.
"I'm just worried. He's been there for hours." Sheldon answered before biting her sandwich.
"It's okay, he'll get tired soon enough." She kept watching him as he emerged and sank into the water in a weird way.
"What he's trying to do?." This time it was Leonard who asked.
"I have no idea". She kept smiling at him as he did the same thing until strange sounds started to come out of his mouth and everyone realized what was really going on.
"Oh my God, I think he's drowning." Missy's eyes widened and she brought her hands to her mouth in despair.
Leonard and Sheldon got up and ran to the lake, immediately plunged into the water and trotted to the surface a completely airless Howard. Carefully they grabbed Howard and led him to the edge of the lake. Sheldon stepped out of the water and Leonard continued to hold him until Sheldon pulled him out.
Bernadette was soon on Howard's side while Sheldon was on the other, using all her first-aid skills and pressing with two overlapping hands somewhere in Howard's chest, he immediately began to squeeze out all the water he'd swallowed, however, it still took a few minutes for him to steady his breath, and when he did, Sheldon just backed away and joined the rest of the group that was around.
"Howie? Howie? Are you okay?" She asked stroking his face as he began to open his eyes.
"I died and I'm in the sky? Cause I think I'm seeing an angel." He smiled, making it clear that everything was fine.
"You silly". She laughed and bent down, letting her lips collide lightly against his, making the whole group smile.
"Uh, look who just gave the first kiss." Penny joked.
"Leave them alone." Amy rebuked and took Sheldon's hand, pulling him back toward the tree. Leonard, Penny and Missy followed.
They all sat down, but Sheldon wouldn't drop her hand, which caught the attention of the other three. "Look at the two of you, you can barely stay away from each other now. I want to see what you're going to do in five years." Leonard joked, but the looks he received from the young couple indicated that there was not a shred of grace.
"Leonard." Penny nudged him.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I did not mean to be insensitive, I ..." He tried to say, but he was suddenly ashamed of the comment.
"It's okay, we already talked about it." Amy assured him, and she and Sheldon exchanged glances of tenderness.
Some time passed and Howard and Bernadette returned and sat down with the rest of the group. Soon they were all chatting excitedly again until they realized that the afternoon was coming to anexo end and that they should return home, but some things still had to be said.
"Well, Sheldon, Missy, we're going to miss you." Leonard said with a sincere expression, looking at the twins as he spoke.
"We'll miss you too, all of you." Sheldon replied as he saw the tears already coming down from her sister's face and Penny stood beside her, holding her hand to support.
"Do you think you'll be fine at your grandparents'?" This time it was Howard who asked.
"I believe so". He responded by lightly squeezing Amy's hand.
"Are not you coming back to visit us?" Penny asked with sadness in her eyes.
"I'll do my best, but I find it difficult."
"Well, I think Sheldon and Missy deserve a toast." Penny said when she saw that the twin had stopped crying. Then all the friends took their respective bottles of soda and lifted them up.
"So let's toast," Missy said before the bottles collided in the air.
"Long live to Sheldon and Missy." Amy said and everyone happily drank their sodas; at the same time they felt the weight of longing that was already there.
XXX
The next day was the day of departure.
No one had even slept well that night, above all, Mary, who had received a rather unpleasant visit the previous evening.
Sheldon had once again climbed the structures on the walls of the Fowler house, and jumped on the balcony of Amy's bedroom. They lay in bed in the same position the other night and talked for hours. However, the moment Sheldon stood up saying that it was late and he should leave, Amy took him by the arm, "stay," she said with the sweetest look he had ever seen. How to deny? He thought, and lay down again.
That night the two of them fell asleep in full innocence.
They were all gathered at the train station for farewell. No one knowing very well what to say, or even prepared to say goodbye. Only when the train whistled indicating that it would leave in about twenty minutes, they began to bid farewell.
"Mary, please do not forget to send us a telegram as soon as you arrive." Larry said.
"I will, don't worry." She smiled tenderly.
"Send our regards to your parents." Mrs. Fowler hugged her as she said it.
"They will be very happy." Mary assured her.
"Are not you forgetting nothing? Are the tickets there?" He asked to be sure.
"Oh sure." George rolled his eyes and then smiled, "Sheldon made a list and made us check everything five times. I'm pretty sure it's all here." He shook his head to emphasize what he had said.
"Great". The four of them laughed.
"Well, thank you for everything you've done for me and the children." Mary said looking at the couple with a sincere smile on her lips.
"They are like our children, too, Mary, we saw them grow up." Larry looked sweetly at his wife and put his arm around her.
"He's right, and besides, I think we'll have a wedding to celebrate a couple of years from now." The wife said and the four of them looked where Sheldon and Amy were with the rest of their friends.
"I can already hear the wedding march." George joked.
The two smiled sweetly at each other, yet there was a trace of sadness in the immensity of each one's eyes. Their hands would not let go for a second, and every gesture, every word that escaped their lips would exude the purest love.
"So, are you sure you have everything you need?" Amy asked as Sheldon checked for the amount of suitcases.
"Of course, Amy, I checked everything five times before leaving."
"Great".
"So, I guess that's all."
"I think so".
"I know I've said it many times, but I'm going to miss you." She had never looked so fragile as at that moment, her voice almost a sigh, her eyes filled with tears about to fall.
"I think that redundancy is because you will miss me a lot." A faint smile settled on his face as he lifted his hand to her face and put behind her ear a rebellious lock of hair that had come loose from the clip.
"It's possible". She returned the smile and the tears ran free on her face.
"I'll miss your even more." He hugged her tightly, and she returned it tightening the hug.
"I doubt." She said as she let go.
"Well, if x represents how much you're going to miss me, then I'll miss you x 1." Sheldon put his hands in his pocket and crocked his neck slightly, raising his eyebrows.
She put her hands back and looked at her shoes while moving her foot. "And I'm going to miss you 3x 1 ..." Penny interrupted with a cough, trying to get their attention. She did not want to disturb the moment, but they also wanted to say goodbye to Sheldon. Amy and Sheldon just looked at them shyly. For a second they had forgotten that the others were there too.
"We will not miss you too, Sheldon." Leonard said. "I think Amy will miss you more, but ..." He hesitated for a moment, "Can we give you a hug?"
Sheldon just nodded and opened his arms. First Leonard, then Penny, then Howard and finally Bernadette. Everyone embraced him.
"We want you to be happy." Bernadette said sincerely.
"Thank you, that means a lot." He smiled at the group who looked at him with expressions of tenderness.
"I think I deserve a hug from my little sister too." George came out suddenly putting his hands on Amy's shoulder, who in reflex glanced at him.
"Georgie, of course." She stretched out her arms and he bent down to hug her. With her back to Sheldon she did not notice when the two brothers looked at each other and exchanged smiles.
"I'll take care of Sheldon, I promise." He whispered to Amy.
"Thank you," she said softly before she let go.
"And I, do not I get a hug?" Missy came up asking her friend.
"You know, I think we deserve a collective hug." Penny exclaimed, and the eight of them hugged for a moment.
"George! Sheldon! Missy! Come on, it's time!" Mary shouted from where she stood near the train door.
Friends broke free of the embrace. George and Missy grabbed their suitcases and walked side by side toward their mother. Sheldon watched them go and fought internally against the urge to stay, but he knew he could not.
Five years, he told himself. It will pass quickly.
"Goodbye, guys" he said to the four friends who waved. And then he turned to the girl who smiled sadly at his side. "Goodbye, Amy." He ran his hand over her face before he gathered all the effort he needed to turn around without looking back.
Missy and Mary had already boarded. Amy's parents approached the group and everyone watched as George and Sheldon handed the suitcases to a boy who carried them into the train. When all the bags were already on board George made mention of Sheldon to board. Amy felt her world crumble and did not stop to think about her next actions.
"Sheldon!" She screamed and they all stopped to look at the girl who was now running. Sheldon just opened his arms waiting for the meeting. The distance between them could be traversed in seconds, however the more Amy ran the farther he seemed to be and the moment seemed to be passing in slow montion. He watched as the bag she carried slowly fell to the floor and opened, letting out the targets that had been thrown into the air before falling and bouncing on the ground a few times; more rebel strands escaped the clip that now hung from her hair as she continued to run. And when she finally reached him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. As soon as his arms were around her, she was immediately being lifted off the ground. "I love you". She said softly.
"I love you too". He closed his eyes as he held her steady in the air, wishing with all his soul to that moment to last forever.
It didn't.
The train whistled again, indicating that it was leaving soon, and George shouted for Sheldon to board.
Sheldon and Amy broke loose with tears in their eyes and a knot in their stomach. What they felt at that moment could not be put into words. It was like losing an important part of themselves. The most important part, the one that would hurt the most, the one that was essential to not make them feel lost, the one that made them who they are, the one that made them feel safe, and bring them comfort.
But at the same time they still had one important thing: hope. And this my friends, was the only thing stronger than all the fears and sorrows that they carried in the heart at that moment.
They knew that was not goodbye. But one 'I'll see you soon'.
Five years would pass quickly. And after that time, nothing would be able to separate them. The forces of the universe would not be enough to keep them apart. They were a unique force in nature, the love they felt for each other was so strong but so strong that it would seek its own way of continuing to exist through time and through distance; would dwell in their souls and build their fortress around them. Like a castle wall that would prevent any threat. A simple and pure love. And at the same time so sensitive.
Their love, they would always find a way...
XXX
A/N: please, let me know your thoughts.
Next chapter we're gonna see how they'll handle being away from each other and some little things that surely can change their lives and this whole story.
I'll be back soon.